Sturdy Decorating Buttercream

Stable half-butter, half-shortening crusting buttercream for covering tiers, piping flowers and borders, making checkerboards and stripes, and attaching small wedding-mint decorations.

YIELD One large batch. Make additional batches as needed rather than overfilling the mixer. INGREDIENTS • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened but still slightly cool • 1 cup vegetable shortening • 2 pounds powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy • 2 tablespoons meringue powder • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 3 tablespoons heavy cream, milk, or water to begin • Gel food coloring as needed DIRECTIONS 1. Prepare the butter correctly. It should dent when pressed but still feel slightly cool. It must not look shiny, greasy, or partly melted. 2. Put the butter and shortening in the mixer bowl. Using the paddle attachment—not the whisk—mix on medium for about 2 minutes. Scrape the sides and bottom, then mix only until completely smooth. Do not whip it excessively; too much air creates bubbles and weakens sharp piping. 3. Add vanilla and salt. Mix on low until combined, then scrape the bowl again. Clear vanilla keeps white frosting brighter, but regular vanilla works. 4. In a separate bowl, mix the powdered sugar and meringue powder. Break up or sift out large lumps. 5. Add the dry mixture about 2 cups at a time, mixing on low after each addition. Loosely cover the mixer with a clean towel at first to contain the sugar cloud. 6. Add liquid carefully, one tablespoon at a time, mixing after each. Start with only 3 tablespoons total and do not automatically add more. This frosting is supposed to be much stiffer than ordinary cake frosting. 7. Mix on medium-low for 2–3 minutes. Scrape thoroughly, then mix on the lowest speed for 1 more minute to press out larger air bubbles. 8. Test a peak. It should stand upright without bending or drooping, and frosting on a sideways spoon should stay put. 9. Divide before coloring: reserve portions for the white/blue bottom tier, pink top tier, dark-purple stripes, flower colors, green leaves, borders, and uncolored attachment frosting. 10. Use gel coloring only. Color several hours or one day ahead because pink, blue, and purple deepen as they rest. CONSISTENCY ADJUSTMENTS • Flowers, borders, side patterns, and attaching wedding mints: use the frosting at full stiffness. • Covering the cake: remove a separate portion and add liquid only 1/2 teaspoon at a time until it spreads comfortably. • If a peak droops: add powdered sugar 1/4 cup at a time. • If it is painfully hard to pipe: add liquid only 1/2 teaspoon at a time. BEST-RESULT TRICKS • Keep the cake cool. If the room is warm, refrigerate it for 15–20 minutes between decorating stages. • Pipe flowers on parchment squares, freeze 15–20 minutes until firm, and place them while chilled. Make extras in case some break. • Attach small wedding mints to a fully chilled cake with a generous dab of unthinned buttercream, hold several seconds, then chill again. • Do not ask buttercream to support the large clock. Rest that piece on the cake board or a tier ledge so the board carries its weight. • Remove the finished cake from the refrigerator about 45–60 minutes before serving so the cake and buttercream can soften. • For Charlotte’s serving, remove all hard molded pieces, toppers, sticks, dowels, and cardboard first.

Designed for Charlotte’s two-tier ONEderland cake. Keep this version stiff for decorations; thin only the portion used to cover the cake.